America’s number one motorsport video game is back and better than ever as Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. has announced that NASCAR The Game: Inside Line is available now at retail outlets nationwide on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the Wii system from Nintendo.

Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) entertainment and design software was used to create cutting-edge content for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Leading digital content creators relied on Autodesk technology to deliver Olympic projects as diverse as stadium visualizations and mascot design, to broadcast graphics and commercials for global brands.

China Central Television (CCTV)

CCTV is China’s largest national television network. CCTV created its Olympics One Dream, One World and Olympics Age packaging and promotions with the Autodesk Smoke finishing system. As well, the broadcaster is using Smoke daily for content production during the Olympic Games.

Crystal CG

Crystal CG is the official graphic design supplier for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Using Autodesk 3ds Max software, Crystal CG created architectural visualizations of the Beijing "Bird’s Nest" Olympic stadium and related facilities. 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya software were also used on TV commercials and promotions, and an educational sports program. In addition, Crystal CG produced the five "Fuwa" Olympic mascot cartoons with Maya.

Psyop/Stink

Psyop/Stink used Autodesk Maya animation software to create three TV commercials for Adidas’ "Together in 2008, Impossible is Nothing" Olympic Games campaign: Together, Zheng Zhi and Hu Jia. The spots include computer-generated crowds with a pencil-sketch look.

"Almost every shot in these Adidas spots involved creating assets in Autodesk Maya, and compositing them with live-action footage," said Tony Barbieri, technical director at Psyop. "Using Maya, we quickly populated scenes with hundreds of varied cheering fans. There were about thirty variations of fans, all modeled and rigged in Maya. By using just one rig for each gender, we were able to capture motion and create custom animation cycles to populate the entire crowd." Psyop provides 3D animation, visual effects and digital content for the advertising market.

Seven Network

The in-house team at Australia’s Seven Network used Smoke to deliver Olympics promotional materials for Channel Seven. "Smoke is the only system capable of handling the phenomenal amount of work accomplished at Seven. As our day-to-day, get-it-out system, Smoke is absolutely invaluable," said Suzique Doughty, senior editor, Channel Seven.

suedlich-t

Visual effects and animation studio suedlich-t relied on Maya and Autodesk Combustion software to shape Olympic trailers for the ARD and ZDF German public broadcasting networks. The trailers feature live-action footage of athletes morphing into 3D ink-strokes and ink-drops. Combustion was used for compositing and visual effects. suedlich-t used the Maya software’s fluid and particle systems extensively for transitions between athletes and ink.

Each winter, a new legion of touchscreen users come to the cold realization they can’t use their fancy gadget while wearing gloves. Every time they get a call, text or e-mail, they need to take off their gloves to respond. That’s the last thing anybody wants to do on a bitter cold winter morning or while on the ski slopes.